Word of the Day (12-8-11)

Good Morning Everyone

Today is Thursday December 8, 2011

The word of the day comes from

1 Corinthians 15:58

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

My Interpretation

I know there seem to be times where all that you do seems to be in vain. The times that you labor over the task/assignment/ministry that God has given you. Times where it seems like you have prayed for everyone during their time of crisis and celebration yet haven’t received a prayer for anything in return. Times where you have given of your time, energy, talents, gifts, obedience, faithfulness and money yet when you asked, it seems as if people forgot the love you showed them in helping them. I know there are times when it seems like what you do, what you value, what you stand for and stand on are in vain. No one is listening, no one cares, no wants appreciates, no one would notice or miss if what you did you stop doing. I know I have thought like that before but I thank God for a new mindset. God had to deliver me and help me realize that even when you think you are not getting through, not making a difference, not seeing the fruit or impact of your labor, do not believe that something isn’t happening.

Let me leave you with this example. A farmer who is expecting a harvest in the spring begins working in the fall/winter time. He does the tedious work, the pulling up of weeds, the plowing of the earth, and the planting of the seed. For a while after the seed is planted it looks like nothing is happening. You can’t see it. The seed is tucked under so much dirt you don’t know if it is growing properly. All you do is what you know to do. You water, you bring sunlight, and you tend to the ground in hopes that in a season to come (that is the key…your labor may not be for this season but merely to set you up for the season to come…) you will see the fruits of your labor. It’s the same thing in our personal lives. You are sowing in a season you may not reap in. You are laboring in a season you may not get rewarded in but that does not mean that your reward isn’t coming. That does not mean that you should stop because results weren’t or aren’t instantaneous. It is a process but the process will complete. To take a line from Donald Lawrence “Don’t worry how your going to get there because the just live by faith.” I want you to continue to do even when it looks like the labor is outweighing the benefit. God sees and God will reward. You may be surprised that your strongest influence may be in the person who never openly comes out and says you blessed them but their lifestyle will be an expression of the life they lived because of the labor you worked. Don’t think it is in vain. Continue to work and in due season (there is that term again) you shall reap if you faint not.  

Have a wonderful, blessed, productive, stress free day!